Sheffield: PCS BIS staff strike against office closure , photo by A Tice

Sheffield: PCS BIS staff strike against office closure , photo by A Tice   (Click to enlarge: opens in new window)

Sheffield: PCS BIS staff strike against office closure

Alistair Tice, Yorkshire Socialist Party

Around 150 PCS civil service union members working for the government department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) took strike action today – 19 May – to save the Sheffield BIS office from closure. The Tory government wants to move this department – which is responsible for the Northern Powerhouse – and 250 jobs, to London. You couldn’t make it up!

Around 30 PCS members attended the picket line at St Paul’s Place. A union delegation door-stepped Minister of State for Skills Nick Boles at a Skills Summit but he refused to take a leaflet.

His boss, Business minister Sajid Javid, is also refusing to talk, even to his own staff in BIS. The strike was called to coincide with Javid’s visit to Sheffield to attend the Cutler’s Feast, the annual gathering of Sheffield business people, where he is due to give a speech on … the Northern Powerhouse. Javid also refused to meet with Sheffield’s council leader who to her credit supported the pickets this morning and is boycotting the Cutler’s Feast tonight.

Sheffield: PCS BIS strike; Marion Lloyd (President of PCS BIS group) in the foreground. 19.5.16, photo by A Tice

Sheffield: PCS BIS strike; Marion Lloyd (President of PCS BIS group) in the foreground. 19.5.16, photo by A Tice   (Click to enlarge: opens in new window)

PCS will be turning up at the Feast, at least on the outside, where it intends to give Javid a hard time. Two years ago Nick Clegg was the headline speaker at the Cutler’s Feast: look what happened to him! PCS members hope that the same fate awaits Javid.

If Javid won’t talk, then Sheffield BIS workers will take three days of strike action next week.

  • Please send messages of support to Marion Lloyd (President of PCS BIS group): [email protected]
  • Sign the petition: bit.ly/bisSheffPet
Donate to the strike:
  • Cheques made payable to the PCS BIS Hardship Fund can be sent to the BIS group treasurer at 9 Medina Way, Upper Stratton, Swindon, SN2 7NW
  • Or money can be transferred to Unity Trust Bank Account 20240992 sort code 60-83-01

This version of this article was first posted on the Socialist Party website on 19 May 2016 and may vary slightly from the version subsequently printed in The Socialist.